My Movie Review on The Alamo (2004) · 5:03am Jul 5th, 2022
Happy Independence Day, my friends.
This is your friendly and patriotic film, TV show, and episode reporter here with another review.
Sound the trumpets! Play the drums! Light the fireworks! And wave the American flag! Because it's once again the time of year to celebrate American becoming its own country.
Today, to celebrate this momentous occasion, I'm gonna give you guys my take of "The Alamo". The Disney film from 2004, to be exact.
Outside of the movie being a depiction of both the Battle of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution, I hardly believe that giving the film a summary would be necessary. But, I will say that in contrast to most other film adaptions showcasing the events, this movie depicts both the Texan and Mexican sides of the war.
After I previously completed my review on "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" last year, I've been frequently planning out what movie I'd like to analyze next to celebrate Independence Day with. As I thought about it more, it suddenly occurred to me that a movie depicting the events of the Alamo would be perfect for the occasion. Granted, it didn't take place during the Revolutionary War, but...similar to that time, the Texas Revolution was when the Texans were fighting to achieve independence from Mexico, even if it meant sacrificing their lives.
Prior to making this review, the 2004 adaption of "The Alamo" was a movie I grew up with since the days of my youth. I frequently replayed some of the its scenes because of how fun to watch they were, and I became incredibly fascinated by the Alamo itself, its history, and the people involved. Plus, as I kept thinking about the film recently, my interest in reviewing it practically skyrocketed.
I wasn't sure what I'd think of "The Alamo" from a retrospective standpoint, mainly because I became aware of the mixed-to-negative reputation it received upon release. The fact that it also bombed at the box office was definitely another factor as to why I felt unsure if I'd still love it.
Once I saw the film again, though...
I found it to be as amazing as I remembered it being!
For instance, the direction by John Lee Hancock, and the story by him, Leslie Bohem, and Stephen Gaghan, were fantastic!
When it came to creating an adaption that was historically accurate while adding creative flair and depth, Hancock and company didn't mess around. It was very clear that this project was one they were passionate about and committed to, and they didn't hold back from making a great impression either. Hancock managed to make the best out of the film's 107 million dollar budget and turn the movie into something with class, and it takes an incredible director to do so.
Plus, the movie as a wholes one of the most emotionally-invested and heartfelt motion pictures around, there were snippets of wit to help balance the tone, and the action sequences were brilliant to watch. The film's cinematography was also very neat to look at, in large part because it fit perfectly with the time period and setting.
The acting, casting, characters, and character development were terrific as well.
Each of the performers featured were literally perfect for playing the historic figures involved in the Texas Revolution. They imbued their performances with passion and powerful presence, and they incorporated enough personality and depth to help their characters be as three-dimensional and human as they were in real life. All of the characters had phenomenal growth throughout the movie too, which directly captured the situations and developments that took place in this historic event.
Some prime examples I'd like to point out are these:
Billy Bob Thornton was phenomenal in the role of Davy Crockett, and the sense of humor he incorporated made his character all-the-more enjoyable to watch. Dennis Quaid made excellent use of his screen time as Sam Houston, especially by giving an authoritative presence while mixing it with surprising complexity. Patrick Wilson's portrayal of William Travis carried a sense of authority too, but Wilson also took the time to stretch himself by ensuring his performance was as three-dimensional as the character and fit Travis's growth. Likewise, Jason Patric was practically putting his heart and soul in the role of James Bowie, and I'm surprised that he wasn't given an award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance. Finally, Emilio Echevarria portrayed Santa Anna with a classic-villain flavor mixed with something incredibly human, and that's even despite the character only speaking Spanish.
Out of all the characters, it was Davy Crockett, William Travis, James Bowie, Sam Houston, and Santa Anna who stood out to me the most. Especially in terms of development.
Finally, the music by Carter Burwell was magnificent.
Everything about Burwell's overall score was one of the most heart-tugging I ever heard. His melodies helped the movie be bigger than expected, they matched the emotions and situations of the characters like a gloved, and they fit perfectly with the film's setting and time period. The best part was that the melodies made everything engaging no matter what.
In conclusion, "The Alamo (2004)" is one of the most underrated movies I ever saw. It faithfully honored the events of the Texas Revolution while being something creative and inspired, and I believe it'd be something the American heroes involved would be very proud of.
So, I rate "The Alamo (2004)" a solid five out of five stars.
Are you also planning on looking at John Wayne's take on the same story? I think it'd be quite interesting to compare the two.
5670134
As a matter of fact, I was thinking that the 1960 version could be what I’ll review for next Independence Day.
5670166
Sounds good to me.
I guess I should see it soon.
"Finally, Emilio Echevarria portrayed Santa Anna with a classic-villain flavor mixed with something incredibly human, and that's even despite the character only speaking Spanish."
Which is ironic considering how much of a villain the real Santa Anna actually was. The movie is definitely more accurate than Disney's for sure.
5670276
Actually, this version depicting the events was made and distributed by Disney.
I haven't seen this version yet, so I'll have to watch it myself first before making any evaluations on it.
5670276
You mean MGM’s version starring, directed, and produced by John Wayne, right?